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*Official* New Zealand in England 2015

Scaly piscine

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
He did only go for 1.84 (off 24 overs) in the first innings of this test. And 2.29 in the second (off 31.5).

That's a big improvement on some of his returns.
That was basically where England lost control of the game. To let him get away so cheaply in the first innings was criminal, even if he didn't bowl much to hit (which he did) at least attack him and make hay while the sun shines. Even in the second innings they weren't putting away bad deliveries. Craig was allowed to bowl as he liked, a guy who is widely expected to end up averaging around 40 with the ball.
 

Fuller Pilch

Hall of Fame Member
I really hope that a county side signs Craig for the rest of the season. If Jeets is the best offie in England, MC would go great guns. He is someone who will kick on the more he bowls. I'd also like him to play a bit of provincial white ball stuff (he doesn't get much chance at Otago as their limited over sides are much better than most CC ones) but I think developing some more dot ball consistency could help his test game. If Craig can be tight and keep getting poles, Neesham can work on his heavy ball and KW keeps going his thing that attack can still do damage when the main seamers struggle.
 

Flem274*

123/5
Am I the only one here who thinks Craig has genuine test match potential with the ball?

He's got everything except a radar and that's because he took up offies seriously two minutes ago. He's the equivalent of a spinner in his early 20s and we all know how fun bowling spin in the Shield is.

Which is incidentally why Tastle should be closer than he is. Only spinner since Vettori to be a threat all season long in the Shield.
 

wellAlbidarned

International Coach
Am I the only one here who thinks Craig has genuine test match potential with the ball?

He's got everything except a radar and that's because he took up offies seriously two minutes ago. He's the equivalent of a spinner in his early 20s and we all know how fun bowling spin in the Shield is.

Which is incidentally why Tastle should be closer than he is. Only spinner since Vettori to be a threat all season long in the Shield.
the only people who don't rate craig in this thread are salty english fans
 
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NZTailender

I can't believe I ate the whole thing
Am I the only one here who thinks Craig has genuine test match potential with the ball?

He's got everything except a radar and that's because he took up offies seriously two minutes ago. He's the equivalent of a spinner in his early 20s and we all know how fun bowling spin in the Shield is.

Which is incidentally why Tastle should be closer than he is. Only spinner since Vettori to be a threat all season long in the Shield.
Flem if you had read any posts in the last day you'd see that, no, you're not the only one ffs. But agree 100%.
 

kiwiviktor81

International Debutant
A really good thing about this Black Caps side is that, good as it is, it's far from a finished product. Craig and Henry are there on potential, and Southee and Boult are still on a sharp upwards learning curve.
 

Moss

International Captain
Though the ODI series seems like such an afterthought, looking forward to seeing Ben Wheeler and Mitchell Santner as I've only watched them before on some videos Kippax had uploaded onto the vault.

Frankly, I hope Southee and Boult sit out most of the series and let McCleneghan, Henry and Wheeler take over. Those two need a rest and boy do they deserve it.

Boult at the post-match presentation: "I was confident the work I'd done in the IPL would help me here and it's proved correct." Thoughts? (Not trolling)
 

Daemon

Request Your Custom Title Now!
i see craig's gone from being a **** spinner to being a guy with lots of potential

he is the former ftr
 

NZTailender

I can't believe I ate the whole thing
2nd Test XI
1. A Cook
2. A Lyth
3. R Taylor
4. B McCullum
5. BJ Watling
6. L Ronchi
7. J Buttler+
8. M Craig
9. T Southee
10. S Broad
11. T Boult

The Composite 2-Why-Isn't-This-Actually-3 Test XI
1. A Cook - Back to his best, edges Watling for batsman of the series though both had completely different roles.
2. T Latham/M Guptill - can't separate them but would rather one of them over Lyth even if he did have one good century.
3. K Williamson - one excellent century (except for the final 20 runs or so :ph34r:) but dose 3 wickets! Getting Cook who played for Craig's turn, shrewd captaincy well executed by Kane.
4. J Root - 1st Test gets him in. 2nd Test proved he is mortal somewhat
5. BJ Watling - what do we need to say? God. Couldn't really consider him for keeping duties due to his 1 session of it.
6. B Stokes - First match still gets him in, was superb.
7. J Buttler+ - Perhaps a surprise choice but his 1st Test 50 was crucial I thought and I was thoroughly impressed by his 2nd second innings effort even if he did get out leaving. Wasn't huge fan of his glovework but neither was Ronchi (30+byes on debut) even though the latter bludgeoned a vital 88.
8. M Craig - haters gonna hate but the windy conditions dried out the pitch and he capitalised. Also some very vital runs in the 2nd Test. Performed better than Ali in both departments imo.
9. M Wood/T Southee - this was tricky. Southee's 4 in the first innings of the 2nd was important but wasn't at his best and Henry had a gunnish 1st test but went mostly missing in this one, that superb delivery to Ali aside. Wood was a wicket taker (SR of 48) and a decent find, not too shabby with the bat either!
10. S Broad - kept taking wickets even if it was the most expensive 5fer in history, but he still bowled well in the 1st Test and hit a determined NZ batting outfit in the 2nd.
11. T Boult - consummate professional even if his line was off in whole spells; would just adjust in the next one and come back swinging.
 
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NZTailender

I can't believe I ate the whole thing
Nah I reckon England might grab one if we decide to rest a few players. Considering they're cutting free some of their 'oldies' (bad move imo, and such an England thing to do for ODI cricket) I think we'll probably end up doing quite a bit of player rotation - especially for the IPL players. I'm actually kinda keen to see how these new English players go as well as I've literally not heard of most of them bar Wood. Also, I wonder if BMac will open now the World Cup is over if not sit out the ODIs entirely? I'd like to see this team play 1 match:

1. M Guptill
2. T Latham
3. K Williamson*
4. R Taylor
5. G Elliott
6. C Anderson
7. L Ronchi+
8. M Santner
9. M Henry
10. B Wheeler
11. M McClenaghan
 

NZTailender

I can't believe I ate the whole thing
It's not enough England already had Root and Wood in their team, but they had to add a Willey to the mix!
 

Hooksey

Banned
Scores out of ten for the series

Cook 10
Lyth 6
Ballance 0
Bell 1 (gets more than ballance for looking less daft)
Root 7
Stokes 8 ( for his Botham like performance in the first test)
Butler 7 (Some good catches)
Ali 7 (good first test)
Broad 8 (took wickets)
Wood 3 (nothing to write home about performance)
Anderson 7 (contributed to the first test victory)

Blackcaps

Latham 7
Guptill 6
Kane 7 (weaker second test)
Ross 6 (not bad - starting to find his feet)
Brendon 5 (loses points for holing out to midoff first ball of a session)
Anderson 4 (first innings dismissal in first test was not acceptable)
Ronchi 6
Watling 9
Craig 5 (won a test and lost a test)
Southee 7 (8 wickets is fine)
Henry 3 (See comment on Wood. Nothing to write home about)
Boult 8.5 (It was his job to get rid of Cook and he failed to adjust his strategy so only 8.5)
Balance a very deserving 0.
 

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